2. What kind of vocations for a renewed consecrated life?

From what we have just seen, it might seem that we could totally omit or deal only briefly with the second part of our theme in the light of this principle: the vocations which can today contribute towards the renewal of the vc must be able to realize and interpret the model now put forward. Therefore, the model of relationship should constitute the fundamental criterion for judging vocations to the vc, and then for formation (initial and continuing). In other words, the young entrant to the consecrated life must know he is "a relational person". Today as yesterday, today more than yesterday.

In that case the plans for renewal could really be achieved in time. Otherwise, if the vocations are not made "new" by the innovations which relationships - every relationship - carry with them, the vc will never renew itself, will remain some kind of prisoner of itself, or will increasingly lose its relationships, its image, its identity.

It might, however, be useful to amplify the discussion a little and try in some way to define the concept of relationship in order to be able to identify, as concretely as possible, the criteria for judging vocations. It is in fact in this area that the possibility of renewal will be measured. If we do not have the criteria to judge everything will come to nothing and the old ways will continue. On the other hand, it would be naïve to imagine that those requesting entry today already have the requisite qualities to further the renewal process because they are sons and daughters of the present culture. The renewal process results from conversion, not from inertia; it requires both heart and mind to work hard; it is not something that will happen, no matter what; it is controlled by the Spirit, not by the sociological laws of the recurrent paths of history. That is to say, many young people entering our structures today have not the slightest intention of renewal and are already "older" than their predecessors.

Defining the subject of relationships means breaking it down into its components. Here we give only a few: truth, fraternity and freedom. In concrete terms, we will look at the meaning of the vc as a call to truth, to fraternity and to freedom, then, for each of these, we will try to indicate a number of criteria for judging vocations.